last pic.. why did the leader do that.. i always wondered ...

almost lost mine.. for lack of retentive cleaning out of the dead needles in the interior ...

P. t. 'mini mounds' looks almost the same.. but in my garden.. twice the vigor... in half shade .... and the upright version you talk of ....

a lot of the variegated versions are terminal in my zone.. but this one.. and MMounds are bulletproof ...

ken

I've seen specimens above head height at local outlets that could be seen to have not taken a long time to get there. I've also watched at least one planted out in the Seattle area shoot right up into a definite tree, in the beginning it was identical to labeled stock in nurseries at the same time so I know it's a 'Thunderhead' - looking at it now someone expecting a less vigorous bush might argue with my determination.

It continues to seem pretty likely the recurring discrepancy in growth and vigor between descriptions of dwarf and low-growing conifers and what stock coming from large scale production operations is due to invigoration of the scions by them being placed on non-dwarf seedling root-stocks.

I think these are pretty vigorous trees and as Will says, Intermediates, not dwarfs. They make a great structural statement in the landscape, but are somewhat brutish. I like them a lot but they are not for every setting.

Sara